Residency error costs Holy Cross football a win

WATERBURY — An error in a residency check of a Holy Cross High football player has resulted in his ineligibility for the season, as well as the Crusaders’ Week 1 forfeit against Kennedy.

The CIAC on Thursday announced Holy Cross’ forfeiture of that Week 1 victory. Cross athletic director Jerry Ciarleglio on Friday took ownership of the situation.

“We used an ineligible player vs. Kennedy because I did not thoroughly check his residency,” said Ciarleglio, who did not identify the player. “It’s on me. The player should have sat out for five games because of the transfer rule. I screwed up.”

When a student-athlete transfers schools but does not change addresses, the CIAC mandates that the student-athlete sits out the first half of the first regular season of a sport that athlete played at his previous school.

Schools can appeal for the CIAC to waive or shorten that mandatory period based on extenuating circumstances, but since the player appeared in a game before he was eligible, Ciarleglio said he’s been ruled ineligible for the rest of the season.